Wash, Rinse, Repeat
#FLICKERING FLAME
We spend so much time burning the candle at both ends that it is very important that you allow yourself some down time. In these early days of film making we are not only just juggling a film. We need to keep our life afloat so we work, some people have full time jobs, others like myself juggle multiple part time jobs, but these are all part of what we need to do in order to accomplish our dreams. The sacrifices we make with personal life and what society would consider the 'normal' stages we all go through - get a job, buy a house, find a partner, settle down, have kids ect. These are all put on the back burner as we try feed our hunger, work crazy hours and give it all up for that slim chance of success in this crazy entertainment industry. As we work, with little time to rest, slowly but surely we run out of steam, crashing and burning far more frequently as that candle flame struggles to stay lit.
#REST AND RECOUP
After a project wraps up one of the most important stages is recovery. There is a small voice inside our head that can feed that desperation for success, don't stop working, if you take a break you might as well just give up. This way of thinking is detrimental to our progress. It is ok to take time off, none of us can work at 200% our whole life so don't be to hard on yourself when you say 'I need a weekend of a week off'. Down time is vital to being able to maintain that productivity. So when you finish up on a project take that time however you feel works for you. If you need to get away and can afford it, great, if you want to see friends or catch up on tv and film thats fine also. There is no right and wrong here and its personal. I love to go for walks I can think and start putting together ideas for new films on my travels. But I will also catch up on sleep, early bed times, back to early mornings. I wont train and I will just enjoy company of friends. Find out what works for you and do it with out feeling guilty. You are recharging the batteries ready to go at it again so its okay.
#RECHARGED
Once you have recovered it is time to get back to work. We are procrastinators by nature so don't get stuck or fall into that 'I'll do it tomorrow' mentality. These bad habits can creep in when we do give our selves some down time. Make sure that you stay focused, the next project will require the same amount of work if not more. Don't ever be afraid to take that break, or that overseas holiday. Just remember that as you recover that there is always work to be done. With my walks to me they are very relaxing but at the same time those hours I walk become another avenue to be productive while still in recovery mode. Find that balance, you have been working hard for so long that you can afford some time to just shut off, but as you slowly feel more like yourself and less like a zombie remember to feed your work again, get back to classes, write, act, and build towards the next great project before you are once again working those crazy hours.